The recent appointment by the First Minister of his ministerial team has resulted in changes in the ministerial titles of certain Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers. A change in title does not necessarily equate to a change in ministerial responsibilities. International development is now within the portfolio responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture.

Full information on the roles and responsibilities of the Scottish Ministers is set out on the Scottish Government website ( www.gov.scot ).

Ministerial responsibility for planning, which includes the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), sits with myself.

As a public body, Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) is required to operate its complaints policy in line with the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO) model complaints handling procedure. This includes recourse to the SPSO as the final stage for complaints.

We welcome the UK Government’s plans to introduce a Sustainable Industry Reward into the Contracts for Difference scheme.

The Scottish Government responded to the initial consultation in January 2024, welcoming the UK Government’s work to introduce these reforms and raising key issues on the definition of deprived areas in Scotland as well as implementation timescales and flexibility.

Throughout our engagement with UK Government on this, we have been clear that any reward mechanism should encourage early investment in manufacturing and infrastructure rather delaying it, creating certainty and allowing the supply chain to ready itself to support the delivery of our tremendous offshore wind ambitions.

We will continue to work with the UK Government to ensure Scottish interests are represented.

The location of critical policing facilities is an operational decision for the Chief Constable. Police Scotland is currently in discussions with a number of partners around possible co-location options, to ensure it can continue to provide a policing service that continues to meet the needs of communities across Edinburgh, in the event that functions move away from Fettes. Police Scotland will undertake a public consultation in advance of any decisions being reached.

Lothian Buses provided an update on service 69 to Transport Scotland officials in 2022, noting they had no plans to reinstate the service at that time. Most bus services across Scotland operate in an open de-regulated market and have done so since the 1980s. Scottish Ministers do not have the power to intervene directly in the provision of local services. This is solely a matter for individual bus operators who use their own commercial judgement on service routes, frequencies, and vehicle types.

Lothian Buses is owned by the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian Councils. However, it is operated and managed as an arms-length commercial operation by a board of directors. It would remain a matter for the local authority to determine whether there is a social need for a bus service that is not being provided commercially. Local authorities can subsidise these at their discretion.

The parameters set out by the UK Government for offshore wind in AR6 were a step in the right direction but the subsequent budget announcement was disappointing and more must be done to ensure lost ground is regained.

We have regular engagement with the UK Government and have been clear they must also provide clarity on the longer-term approach that will be taken to support the renewables sector, both onshore and offshore, in order to provide the certainty needed to secure investment in the Scottish supply chain. To secure project delivery as well as investor and supply chain confidence, we have also stressed that the UK Government must provide timely grid connections and strengthened grid infrastructure.

Our commitment to invest up to £500 million of public sector funding over the next 5 years demonstrates that the Scottish Government is already doing what it can within our limited budget to support market certainty and support the delivery of our tremendous offshore wind ambitions.

The location and deployment of police officers is an operational decision for the Chief Constable. However, under its estate plans for Edinburgh and the Lothians, Police Scotland intends that front-line operational officers will be relocated within the same geographical policing area, meaning there will be no loss to community-based policing.

Police Scotland is currently considering options, and is in discussion with a number of partners around possible locations, to ensure it continues to provide a local policing service that meets the needs of communities across Edinburgh and the Lothians, and has committed to undertake a public consultation in advance of any decisions being reached.

This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

This question relates to a recommendation in the report on HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS)’s inspection of the prosecution of summary domestic abuse cases which was instructed by the Lord Advocate and was published on 17 April 2024.

The relevant recommendation is:

Recommendation 1

With regard to training of staff, COPFS should:

[...]

(b) review the take-up of mandatory and other training, and identify and address the reasons for low take-up

(c) ensure that all staff managing and prosecuting domestic abuse cases and engaging with domestic abuse victims have appropriate training (including prosecutors, VIA officers and National Enquiry Point operators)

(d) review the domestic abuse e-learning module for VIA officers and make it mandatory.

The Lord Advocate has accepted this recommendation.

COPFS is commencing work in relation to the areas identified in the HMIPS report and will provide updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report in due course. This work includes review of existing mandatory training in relation to domestic abuse cases.